The present invention relates to tubeless tires and, more particularly, to inserts which facilitate rideability of a vehicle such as a car or truck for some distance on a punctured tire when immediate repair or replacement is not available.
The advent of tubeless tires for vehicles such as cars and trucks brought with it problems and dangers which have become of increasing concern in this present age of high speed and highway driving. Typically, the occurrence of a punctured tire while driving a vehicle is accompanied by loss of stability and control over the vehicle, the possibility of an accident with accompanying vehicle damage and human injury and the complete destruction of the tire and rim due to the pressure collapse of the tire and loss of bead between the tire and rim. Moreover, occupants are often left stranded and without transportation in some remote area, unable to repair the tire or drive the vehicle without a full set of tires.
Attempts have been made to overcome these problems by providing some sort of internal support system that would allow a vehicle to be driven despite a tire collapse. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,397,728 to McCrary discloses an annular steel safety insert mounted on a tire rim for preventing total collapse of a tire in the event of a blowout or puncture. U.S. Pat. No. 2,708,469 to Lydon discloses another tire construction for preventing total collapse of a tire due to blowout or puncture, including a cushion element, a shock absorber, a rigid support and an inflatable chamber. U.S. Pat. No. 3,250,310 to Johnson discloses a "tire buffer" which acts as an auxiliary wheel inside a tubeless tire in the event of a flat tire or blowout. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,163,466 to Watts discloses a safety support to be mounted on a split rim inside a tubeless tire.
Among the deficiencies of these prior art devices is their complex construction and cost of manufacture. Moreover, those prior designs employing a safety support bearing on the tire rim of the vehicle have proved unsuccessful from an operational standpoint, as clearly discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,250,310. Additionally, prior art devices do not insure retention of the bead between the tire and rim, thus risking damage to or destruction of the tire.
The present invention provides an insert for a tubeless tire that overcomes the deficiencies of prior art designs and is comparatively simple in design and manufacture.
The present invention further provides an insert for use in vehicle tires which substantially reduces tire collapse after puncture or other loss of air pressure from within the tire.
The present invention further provides an insert for use in vehicle tires which prevents the loss of bead between a tire and rim when the tire has been punctured or otherwise loses internal air pressure.
The present invention further provides an insert for use in vehicle tires which prevents destruction of the tire and rim due to tire collapse resulting from puncture or other loss of internal air pressure.
The present invention further provides an insert for use in vehicle tires to facilitate control and safety in driving the vehicle after puncture or other loss of tire pressure when immediate repair or replacement of the tire is not available.
The present invention further provides an insert for use in vehicle tires which allows rideability for some distance after puncture or other loss of tire pressure when immediate repair or replacement of the tire is not possible.